How Apple is betting that augmented reality is so much more than Pokemon Go
Apple CEO Tim Cook has very high hopes for augmented reality and Apple’s ARKit toolkit will make it easier for developers to write software for AR apps
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he thinks of augmented reality as a “a big idea like the smartphone”, which should give you a sense of how important the iPhone maker thinks AR really is.
Analysts are expecting to hear big things about Apple’s plans for AR as it looks to the future – and a new generation of the iPhone. Ahead of Apple’s September 12 media event, here’s a look at AR and what it could mean for you.
What is augmented reality?
Augmented reality is the catch-all term for technology that blends digital objects with the physical world. Remember Pokemon Go? By looking through their phone’s camera, players are able to see the cartoonlike monsters in a real-world setting.
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AR is different from virtual reality, which relies on headsets to block out your perception of the world outside. With augmented reality, you rely on what your own senses perceive in the real world; it just has some extra enhancements.